Spotlights on [Ross and Rachel]

You're my hero

Ross was sitting by the kitchen table tired after a long day of work which, worth mentioning, was ending in a very interesting way.
The city of New York was embedded in complete darkness. The only source of light in apartment 20 was the burning candles.

It wasn't every day a blackout would strike.

Ross's eyes roamed over the living room. He was extra grateful tonight because his company couldn't have been better.

His eyes stopped when they landed on his sister. A smile formed on his lips when he heard her laugh at a story Joey was telling her.
His gaze then shifted to Rachel and his smile grew wider when he heard her laughter join Monica's.

It sounded like silver bells.

A sweet rush of euphoria washed over his body when suddenly a very precious memory entered his thoughts.

....
1976

"ROSS!"

Two high-pitched screams filled the Geller-house when all light suddenly disappeared. A few seconds of silence passed before Ross could hear two pairs of legs running down the stairs.

"Ross! Where are you!?"

The panic in Monica's voice didn't go unnoticed by him.

"In the living room", he answered as he placed the book he had been reading on the table beside him. He didn't mind doing so though because he couldn't continue reading when the power was out.

A few more seconds passed by before an upset Rachel and Monica were standing before him. Ross immediately stood up from the couch to walk over to the two of them. He didn't, however, have the time to do so before the impact of his sister forced him down on the couch again. 

"Ross, I'm scared," Monica cried into her brother's chest.  "I hate the darkness." 

"Mon, calm down. It's only a blackout," he soothingly whispered into her ear as he calmly ran his fingers through her hair.

Ross carefully repositioned himself on the couch, still keeping his arms protectively around his little sister.
Suddenly, sobs from another person filled the room. Ross looked up from his sister and when his eyes landed on Rachel's small figure hesitantly standing a few feet away, an unfamiliar feeling of protectiveness rushed through him.

His heart grew heavy at the sight of her.

"What if the monsters will come and eat me? Ross?" Rachel whispered as tears spilled from her ocean blue eyes. Her voice was small, and her words were shaky. She was hugging herself, trying to stay strong but failing to do so.

Rachel's face was gleaming with worry. Her eyes were big and her lips were trembling. The sight of her made Ross want to wrap his arms around her too. Every cell of his body urge to protect her from the thoughts that were scaring her.

He hated to see her cry.

"Rachel, monsters do not exist," Ross calmly said as he extended his arm, welcoming her to join Monica in his embrace.

Rachel didn't hesitate a second before she walked into his embrace. She tightly wrapped her arms around Ross's neck as she pressed her body into his. She allowed herself to cry into his chest together with Monica.   

"But you always talk about those big things with sharp teeth", Rachel mumbled as she felt tears falling from her eyes. "And that they love darkness and that it is the perfect time for them to catch their prey."